his house, having called the son of _Collas Becquet_ a wizard, it
happened that there was one day found in the said _Thomas's_ bed a
great number of maggots, which the said _Sieur de Lisle_ saw, and
compared to an ant-hill, so lively and thick were they, and they could
hardly clear the said child of them, although they put it in different
places; afterwards the said child gathered lice in such a manner that
although its shirts and clothes were changed every day they could not
free it; the said _Thomas Brouart_ also had a brand new vest, which
was so covered with lice that it was impossible to see the cloth, and
he was compelled to have it thrown among the cabbages; upon which he
went and threatened _Massi's_ wife that he would beat her if she did
not abstain from thus treating his child; and on returning he found
the said vest among the cabbages clear of lice, which had also since
then quitted the said _Brouart_.
_Jacques le Mesurier_ deposed that about two or three years ago he met
_Collas Becquet_ and _Perot Massi_, who had some fish and who moreover
owed him money; he wished to take some of their fish at a reduced
price, but they would not agree to it, and they quarrelled; whereupon
one of the two, either _Becquet_ or _Massi_, threatened him that he
would repent of it; and at the end of two or three days, he was seized
with a sickness in which he first burnt like fire and then was
benumbed with cold so that nothing would warm him, and this without
any cessation; he suffered in this way for nearly a month. _Collas
Becquet_ heard that witness charged him with being the cause of his
sickness, and he threatened that he would kill witness; but very soon
afterwards the said witness was cured; and he affirms and believes
that the said _Becquet_ and _Massy_, or one of them, was the cause of
his attack.
* * * * *
NOTE ON THE GUERNSEY RECORDS.
The Records at the Guernsey _Greffe_, from which the foregoing
confessions and depositions have been transcribed, and whence the
following list of accusations is compiled, are of a very voluminous
character. In fact there is enough matter in them, connected with
Witchcraft alone, to fill at least a couple of thick octavo volumes.
There is, however, so much sameness in the different cases, and such a
common tradition running through the whole, that the present excerpts
give a very fair idea of the features which characterise the mass.
While some of these Records are tolerably complete, the greater part
of them unfortunately are fragmentary and imperfect. The books in
which they were originally written seem to have been formed of a few
sheets of paper stitched together. Then at some later period a number
of these separate sections--in a more or less tattered condition--were
gathered into volumes and bound together in vellum. It is evident,
however, that very little care was exercised in their arrangement in
chronological order. The consequence is that one portion of a trial
sometimes occurs in one part of a volume, and the rest in another
part; sometimes the depositions alone seem to have been preserved;
sometimes the confessions; while in many cases the sentences
pronounced are all that can now be discovered. Nevertheless these old
Records enshrine much that is interesting, and very well deserve a
more exhaustive analysis than they have ever yet received. There are
also in the margins of these volumes, scores of pen-and-ink sketches
of a most primitive description, depicting the carrying out of the
various rigours of the law. Rough and uncouth as these illustrations
are, they nevertheless possess a good deal of graphic significance,
and I hope to reproduce some of them in facsimile, in a future
publication. They represent, for instance, culprits hanging on the
gallows--sometimes two or three in a row--with a fire kindled
underneath; others attached to stakes in the midst of the flames;
others, again, racing away under the lash of the executioner, &c.,
&c., and thus form a most realistic comment on the judicial severities
recorded in the text.
WITCHCRAFT TRIALS IN GUERNSEY,
From 1563 to 1634, a period of 71 years.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.--1558-1603.
HELIER GOSSELIN, Bailiff, 1550-1563.
_November 19th, 1563._
Gracyene Gousset,
Catherine Prays,
Collette Salmon, wife of Collas Dupont,
Condemned to death and the Royal pardon refused.
_December 17th, 1563._
Françoise Regnouff,
Martin Tulouff,
Condemned to death and the Royal pardon refused.
_December 22nd, 1563._
Collette Gascoing.
This woman was found guilty, and the Royal pardon being
refused, she was whipped, had one of her ears cut off, and
was banished from the island.
THOMAS COMPTON, Bailiff, 1563-1572.
_July 30th, 1570._
Jeannette Du Mareesc,
Was banished for seven years.
_October 27th, 1570._
Michelle Tourtell,
Banished from the island.
_November 3rd, 1570._
Coliche Tourtell,
James de la Rue,
Both banished from the island.
_November 10th, 1570._
Lorenche Faleze, wife of Henry Johan,
Banished from the island.
_November 17th, 1570._
Thomasse Salmon.
Marie Gauvein, wife of Ozouet.
Both these women were whipped, had each an ear cut off, and
were banished from the island.
GUILLAUME BEAUVOIR, Bailiff, 1572-1581.
No prosecutions for Witchcraft seem to have taken place
during his tenure of office.
THOMAS WIGMORE, Bailiff, 1581-1588.
_1583._
Collas de la Rue.
The result of this trial is uncertain.
LOUIS DEVYCKE, Bailiff, 1588-1600.
No Witchcraft prosecutions during his term of office.
KING JAMES I.--1603-1625.
AMICE DE CARTERET, Bailiff, 1601-1631.
_1611._
Marie Rolland.
The result of this trial is uncertain.
_June 11th, 1613._
Oliver Omont,
Cecille Vaultier, wife of Omont,
Guillemine, their daughter,
Were all banished from the island.
_July 17th, 1613._
Laurence Leustace, wife of Thomas Le Compte,
Banished from the island.
_July 4th, 1617._
Collette du Mont, widow of Jean Becquet.
Marie, her daughter, wife of Pierre Massy.
Isabel Becquet, wife of Jean Le Moygne.
All three women, after being found guilty, confessed under
torture, and were then hanged and burnt.
_August 8th, 1617._
Michelle Jervaise, widow Salmon.
Jeanne Guignon, wife of J. de Callais, and two of her
children.
These four persons were hanged and burnt, after being put to
the question.
_October 17th, 1617._
Marie de Callais.
Philipine le Parmentier, widow of Nicolle, of Sark.
These two women were hanged and burnt, after being
previously put to the question.
_November 25th, 1617._
Thomasse de Calais, wife of Isaac le Patourel,
Banished from the island.
_November 25th, 1617._
Christine Hamon, wife of Etienne Gobetell.
This woman was banished from the island, but returned on May
6th, 1626, when she was again arrested and sentenced to
death. She was hanged July 21st, 1626.
_August 1st, 1618._
Jean de Callais, together with his son, and servants.
All these were charged with practicing Witchcraft, and were
sent out of the island.
_December, 1618._
Jean Nicolle, of Sark,
Being found guilty, was whipped, had an ear cut off, and was
banished from the island.
_May 1st, 1619._
Pierre Massi,
Condemned to be hanged. He, however, contrived to get out of
prison and drowned himself.
_August 7th, 1619._
Jeanne Behot,
Banished from the island.
_April 22nd, 1620._
Girete Parmentier,
Jeanne Le Cornu, widow of Collas le Vallois.
These two women were banished.
_May 8th, 1622._
Collette de l'Estac, wife of Thomas Tourgis.
Collette Robin.
Catherine Hallouris, widow Heaulme.
These three women were hanged and burnt, after being put to
the question.
_October 17th, 1622._
Thomas Tourgis, of the Forest.
Jeanne Tourgis, his daughter.
Michelle Chivret, wife of Pierre Omont.
All three were burnt alive.
_October 19th, 1622._
Jean Le Moigne.
Guillemine la Bousse.
This man and woman were set at liberty.
_November 30th, 1622._
Perine Marest, wife of Pierre Gauvin,
Banished, together with her husband and children.
_October 3rd, 1623._
Etienne Le Compte,
Hanged and burnt.
_May 28th, 1624._
Marguerite Tardif, wife of P. Ozanne,
Set at liberty.
_June 4th, 1624._
Ester Henry, wife of Jean de France.
This woman was burnt alive. The sentence states that her
flesh and bones are to be reduced to ashes and scattered by
the winds, as being unworthy of any sepulture.
_July 16th, 1624._
Collette la Gelée.
This woman was hanged and burnt.
_October 22nd, 1624._
Jean Quaripel,
Hanged and burnt.
KING CHARLES I.--1625-1649.
_July 23rd, 1625._
Elizabeth, wife of Pierre Duquemin,
Banished for 7 years.
_August 11th, 1626._
Jeanne de Bertran, wife of Jean Thomas,
Hanged and burnt.
_August 12th, 1626._
Marie Sohier, wife of J. de Garis,
Hanged and burnt.
_November 10th, 1626._
Judith Alexander, of Jersey, wife of Pierre Jehan,
Hanged and burnt.
_August 25th, 1627._
Job Nicolle, of Sark,
Condemned to perpetual banishment.
_January 16th, 1629._
Anne Blampied, wife of Thomas Heaulme, of the Forest.
Thomas Heaulme, of the Forest.
Both banished for seven years.
_May 1st, 1629._
Marguerite Picot (l'Aubaine),
Hanged and burnt.
_August 7th, 1629._
Susanne Prudhome, wife of Guilbert, of the Castel,
Put to the question, hanged, and burnt.
JEAN DE QUETTEVILLE, Bailiff, 1631-1644.
_July 1st, 1631._
Jehan Nicolle, of Sark,
Set at liberty.
_July 15th, 1631._
Marie Mabile, wife of Pierre de Vauriouf.
Thomas Civret.
Both were put to the question, hanged, and burnt.
_July 23rd, 1631._
Susanne Rouane, wife of Etienne Le Compte,
Judith Le Compte, }
Bertrane " } four daughters of the above.
Ester " }
Rachel " }
The mother was condemned to perpetual banishment from the
island, and the daughters were banished for fifteen years.
_October 1st, 1631._
Marie Mortimer, wife of François Chirret.
Also her son.
Both were set at liberty.
_October 1st, 1631._
Vincente Canu, wife of André Odouère.
Marie de Callais.
Both were set at liberty.
_December 10th, 1631._
Jehan Canivet.
Renette de Garis, wife of Martin Maugeur.
Elizabeth le Hardy, wife of Collas Deslandes.
Simeone Mollett.
Marie Clouet, wife of Pierre Beneste.
All the above were condemned to perpetual banishment.
_January 28th, 1634._
Jacob Gaudion, of Alderney,
Condemned to perpetual banishment.
_May 16th, 1634._
Marie Guillemotte, wife of Samuel Roland, known as
Dugorne.
Marie Rolland, her daughter.
The mother was hanged and burnt, and the daughter was
condemned to perpetual banishment.
THE STORY IN BRIEF
OF THE
GUILLE-ALLÈS LIBRARY,
GUERNSEY.
BY J. LINWOOD PITTS.
In concluding the editorial duties connected with the issue of this
fourth volume of the "Guille-Allès Library Series," it seems to me
that the time is an opportune one for adding some short account of the
origin and foundation of the noble Institution from which the "Series"
takes its name. The Guille-Allès Library is proving such an immense
boon to our little insular community, that very naturally, many
inquiries are from time to time made--especially by strangers--as to
how its existence came about.
In order to answer these questions we must go as far back as the year
1834. At that time Mr. Guille--who is a Guernseyman by birth--was but
a boy of sixteen, and had been two years in America. He was serving
his apprenticeship with a well-known firm in New York, and he enjoyed
the privilege of access to a very extensive library in that city,
founded by a wealthy corporation known as _The General Society of
Mechanics and Tradesmen_. The pleasure and profit which he derived
from this source were so great, and made such a deep impression upon
his mind that, young as he was, he formed the resolution that if his
future life proved prosperous, and his position enabled him to do so,
he would one day found a similar institution in his own little native
island of Guernsey. Throughout the whole of his future career this
intention was present with him; and commencing at once,--in spite of
his then very limited means--to purchase books which should form a
nucleus for the anticipated collection, he began to lay the foundation
of the literary treasures which crowd the shelves of the Guille-Allès
Library to-day. At the age of twenty, when out of his apprenticeship,
he found himself the possessor of several hundreds of volumes of
standard works, many of which are now in the Library, and upon which
he must naturally look with peculiar and very legitimate pleasure, as
being the corner stones of the subsequent splendid superstructure.
Business affairs prospered with Mr. Guille. As time rolled on he was
taken into partnership with the firm, as was also his friend and
fellow-countryman, Mr. F.M. Allès, and his increasing prosperity
enabled him to put his cherished project into more tangible shape.
While on a visit to Guernsey in 1851, he wrote a few articles in the
_Gazette Officielle_, with the view of drawing public attention to the
importance of forming district or parish libraries. These articles
attracted the notice of _The Farmers' Club_, an association of
intelligent country gentlemen who met at the Castel. Their secretary,
the late Mr. Nicholas Le Beir, wrote to Mr. Guille at the request of
the members, informing him of their appreciation of his views, and of
his having been elected an honorary member of their association, in
token of their esteem. They had previously elected in a similar way
the famous French poet Béranger, and also Guernsey's national bard,
the late Mr. George Métivier. Mr. Guille accepted the honour, and the
correspondence which ensued resulted in his offering his collection of
books--supplemented by a considerable sum of money--towards forming
the commencement of such libraries as he had been advocating. Nothing,
however, really definite was done until Mr. Guille's next visit to
Guernsey in 1855-6, when after consultation with that devoted friend
of education, the late Mr. Peter Roussel, a meeting of a few
friends--including Mr. Roussel and his venerable mother, Mr. Guille,
Judge Clucas, Mr. Le Beir, and Mr. Henry E. Marquand--who were known
to be favourable to the project was held, several handsome
subscriptions were promised, Mr. Guille renewed his offer previously
made to _The Farmers' Club_, and a workable scheme was matured.
THE GUILLE LIBRARY,
for so the Committee decided to name the undertaking, consequently
commenced its useful career in 1856. The collection of books was
divided into five sections, which were placed in separate cases, and
located at convenient distances about the island--where they were
taken charge of by friends--the largest being reserved for the town.
The intention was to exchange these cases in rotation, and so
establish a circulating library in the most comprehensive sense of the
term. But this was, in reality, never carried out, for after the
volumes had been read in their respective stations, they were returned
to their places, and left to slumber unused, until Mr. Guille once
more came to the island in 1867, with the intention of remaining
permanently, and he then had them all brought to town and arranged in
one central _depôt_.
Mr. Guille also opened a branch Reading-room and Library at St.
Martin's, in the hope of being able thereby to draw the young men of
the parish from the degrading attractions of the public house. For
three years he kept this comfortable room open, while in winter and
summer neither rain nor storm prevented him from being present there
every evening to personally superintend the undertaking. Ultimately,
however, he found the strain too much for his health, and he
discontinued the branch so as to concentrate more attention upon the
central establishment in town.
For five-and-twenty years, from 1856 to 1881, Mr. Guille worked
steadily and unostentatiously at the benevolent enterprise which he
had inaugurated. Death removed several of his early coadjutors, and
for many years he bore all the financial burdens and toiled on
single-handed and alone. What was still more discouraging was that he
unfortunately had to encounter for a very long time an almost
incredible amount of mental supineness on the part of those whom he
was so disinterestedly seeking to benefit. It was not as though any
desire for knowledge existed among the mass of the Guernsey people,
and he only had to assume the pleasant duty of satisfying that desire.
Such a desire did not exist. Many of the people not only never had
read any books but they flatly declined to begin. Mr. Guille felt that
this deplorable attitude ought to be combatted, and he therefore
persevered in the thankless and difficult task of trying in the first
place to create the want, and in the second place to satisfy it. A
quarter-of-a-century's earnest effort in a good cause, however, cannot
fail to produce some fruit, and within the last three or four years
much brighter days have dawned. Mr. Guille's lifelong friend and
former business partner, Mr. F.M. Allès,--who had often previously
substantially assisted him,--has latterly thoroughly associated
himself with the work, and the result is that the rudimentary scheme
of 1856 has at length culminated in the splendid
GUILLE-ALLÈS LIBRARY,
which was thrown open to the public in the old Assembly Rooms, on the
2nd of January, 1882, and bears on its portal the appropriate motto:
_Ingredere ut proficias_--"Enter that thou mayst profit." How
admirably this fine Institution is fulfilling its mission is
well-known to all who frequent it. It already contains a collection of
over 35,000 volumes--to which constant additions are being made--of
valuable and standard works in all branches of science, literature and
art, both in the French and English languages, besides numerous works
in German, Italian, Greek, Latin, &c. It has a commodious
Reading-room, well supplied with journals and periodical publications;
while a Society of Natural Science has also been inaugurated and meets
in connection with it. The Guernsey Mechanics' Institution--after an
existence of just half-a-century--was absorbed into it at the close of
1881; and the Library of the _Société Guernesiaise_--founded in
1867--now finds a home on its shelves. The subscription for membership
is merely nominal, and Messrs. Guille and Allès have made arrangements
to endow the Institution with such ample funds as shall secure in
perpetuity the many benefits which it is conferring upon the island.
THE FUTURE OF THE INSTITUTION
is therefore fully assured and its wants provided for. The spacious
new buildings which have been for many months in process of erection
are now (December, 1885) rapidly approaching completion. They comprise
a spacious and handsome Lecture Hall, capable of seating from 250 to
300 persons; a Book-room 63-ft. by 25-ft., exclusively for the lending
department, and which will accommodate on its shelves from 45,000 to
50,000 additional volumes--with a large anteroom for the convenience
of the subscribers. The present Reading-room will then be used for a
Reference Library and Students' Consulting and Reading-room. There are
also a General Reading-room, a Working Men's Reading-room, and
numerous apartments suitable for Class-rooms and Committee-rooms. The
roof of the original building has been reconstructed and raised so as
to form a suite of rooms 100-ft. long, 24-ft. wide, and 10-ft. high.
Lighted from the top these are specially adapted for the exhibition of
objects of interest, pictures, or for a local museum. A convenient
residence for the Librarian is arranged in a separate building, which
is extended so as to provide on the ground floor convenient rooms for
the reception and storing of books and for the special work of the
Librarians.
When the Library was first removed to the Assembly Rooms, the premises
were leased from the States, who had purchased them in 1870.
Subsequently, however, in December, 1883, Messrs. Guille and Allès
purchased the Rooms from the States for £900 British, and afterwards
bought from the Parish the plot of land behind the Rooms--which
belonged to the Rectory--and upon which they have now built the
spacious new premises above-mentioned. As soon as these extensions are
available, the founders purpose inaugurating comprehensive courses of
popular illustrated lectures on physical science, economic products,
natural history, microscopic science, literary subjects, &c., which
will appeal at once to the eye and the understanding, and impart a
large amount of very useful knowledge in an easy and agreeable way.
There will also be classes in various subjects, including the French,
German and Italian languages, drawing, music, &c., &c., all of which
will be open to girls as well as boys, women as well as men. In an
island like Guernsey, where from the smallness of the community many
of the young people necessarily have to go and seek their fortunes
abroad, the advantages for self-culture offered by an Institution like
this can scarcely be over-rated. The local facilities afforded for the
acquisition of French are particularly marked, while it cannot for a
moment be doubted that a young man or woman who can use both French
and English with fluency, is much better equipped for the battle of
life than is a person knowing only one of these languages. Whatever
intellectual needs may become apparent in the people, these the
Guille-Allès Library will set itself to supply. Its founders, indeed,
are especially anxious that there should be no hard and fast barriers
about its settlement, which might cramp its expansion or fetter its
usefulness. On the contrary they desire--while adhering, of course, to
certain main lines of intellectual activity--to imbue it with such
elasticity of adaptation as will enable it to successfully grapple
with the changing necessities of changing times. The chief wants of
to-day may not necessarily be the most pressing requisites of a
century hence. Therefore, one of the greatest essentials--and at the
same time one of the greatest difficulties--in a foundation like this,
is to provide for and combine within it such a fixity of principle and
such an adaptability of administration as shall enable it to keep pace
with the progress of the ages, and suit itself to the several
requirements of succeeding generations as they pass.
COST AND ENDOWMENT.
The cost of carrying out this great enterprise--including the erection
of buildings, purchase of books, fittings, &c.--has already amounted
to between £15,000 and £20,000, and the outlay shows no signs of
cessation. In addition to these expenses there is the Endowment Fund
already referred to, and for this the munificent donors intend to set
apart a sum to which the above amount bears but a small proportion. So
that altogether the community will be indebted to them for an
educational foundation worth a magnificent figure in money value
alone, while besides this, we must not forget the long years of
thoughtful care and of self-denying energy involved in maturing these
splendid projects, or the healthy mental and moral stimulus which the
conduct of these patriotic gentlemen has supplied.
PRESENTATION OF PORTRAITS.
A very pleasing ceremony took place on Wednesday, December 17th, 1884,
at St. Julian's Hall, when His Excellency Major-General Sarel, C.B.,
Lieut.-Governor, presented Messrs. Guille and Allès with their
portraits on behalf of a numerous body of subscribers resident in all
parts of the island, and also in Paris, New York, and Brooklyn. A
public meeting had been called on the 4th of February previous, when
an influential Committee was appointed; about £227 was speedily
raised, and then Mr. Frank Brooks was commissioned to paint two
life-size portraits in oil, which gave great satisfaction when
finished, and are now hung in the Library. Julius Carey, Esq., Chief
Constable (Mayor) of St. Peter-Port, as President of the Portrait
Committee, opened the proceedings, by briefly narrating the
circumstances which had called the meeting together.
His Excellency then, after a few preliminary remarks, said:--